Excluded parties bid for 'transparency' should talks on arms resume

Following the release of a Downing Street statement today on the failure to broker an arms decommissioning deal between the Ulster Unionist Party and Sinn Fein, an Alliance party candidate has launched a scathing attack on the government's stance on the issue.

The Alliance Party's prospective candidate for Lagan Valley, Seamus Close, has said that the government should stop acting like an election agent for the UUP and Sinn Fein.

Mr Close said: “With its sickening admiration for the problem parties, the government is coming very close to acting as election agent for Sinn Fein and the UUP.

“Statements from Downing Street should recognise that there are parties that are part of the solution that have never sullied their reputation with weapons or tribalism.

“By placing its trust in the bowler hats and balaclavas of the UUP and Sinn Fein alone, the government has wasted an opportunity to get our Assembly back on its feet."

Referring to the governments' intentions to resume talks after the elections were complete, Mr Close said: “Now it seems the government hopes to re-activate its failed attempts at sequencing after the election. Sometimes it takes more than two to tango.”

Earlier this week SDLP leader Mark Durkan also condemned the approach of the governments. He said that everyone would like to see more "transparency" in the negotiations and blamed both the UUP and Sinn Fein for the decommissioning debacle and the failure to reach agreement.

(SP)